United States: Employment and HR

Washington State's new Domestic Worker Bill of Rights establishes comprehensive employment standards for household workers, creating formal compliance obligations for families and businesses that hire nannies, housekeepers, and home care providers. What specific requirements must hiring entities meet regarding written agreements, termination procedures, and workplace protections before the law takes effect in July 2027?

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division has issued four new opinion letters addressing critical Fair Labor Standards Act compliance questions that frequently arise in workplace disputes. These official interpretations clarify when exempt employees can perform additional hourly work, how certain bonuses affect overtime calculations, which meal break and pre-shift activities are compensable, and when time-rounding practices create legal risk.

New York State's 2026 legislative session concluded with several employment bills awaiting Governor Kathy Hochul's signature. These proposed laws could significantly reshape employment practices across the state, affecting severance agreements, job postings, personnel records, artificial intelligence usage, and dispute resolution waivers. The changes would impact both employers and employees operating in New York's jurisdiction.

Can employers be held liable when employees use workplace technology to perpetrate cyber sexual abuse? This analysis explores how existing civil rights laws and employment statutes may provide immediate legal remedies for survivors, even as legislators work to develop new protections against technology-enabled harassment.

Washington State's new Domestic Worker Bill of Rights establishes comprehensive employment standards for household workers, creating formal compliance obligations for families and businesses that hire nannies, housekeepers, and home care providers. What specific requirements must hiring entities meet regarding written agreements, termination procedures, and workplace protections before the law takes effect in July 2027?

A recent California lawsuit alleges that AI-based employee selection tools discriminated against workers on protected leave and those with disabilities during a reduction in force. The case highlights critical legal risks for employers deploying AI in high-stakes employment decisions, particularly around how AI systems handle productivity metrics for employees who are absent or working under accommodations.

Legal experts from Groom Law Group examine whether mandatory contributions to retirement plans fall under the Internal Revenue Code Section 415 annual additions limit, clarifying the distinction between this limit and the Section 402(g) elective deferral limit. The analysis explores which types of contributions are excluded from annual additions calculations and how mandatory contributions are specifically treated under current tax law.

What happens when a jockey's racing career ends due to injury or retirement? This episode explores the financial uncertainty, identity challenges...

As the first half of 2026 has passed, plan sponsors should be aware of ongoing significant litigation concerning the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

A New Jersey employer faces a lawsuit after an AI transcription tool allegedly captured supervisors discussing their preference for a "strapping young man" to replace a terminated female employee. The case raises critical questions about the admissibility of AI-generated evidence in court and highlights the risks employers face when using virtual meeting platforms with automated transcription features.

When an employer documents that an employee's National Guard obligations are the reason for demotion or termination, it creates overwhelming evidence of discrimination under federal law. This case reveals how the Department of Justice approaches USERRA enforcement against private employers and what triggers federal litigation. The consent decree imposed extensive compliance obligations that extended far beyond monetary damages, demonstrating the lasting consequences of explicitly linking adverse employment

Welcome to our July update, where we highlight some of the latest developments in employment law. In this edition, we consider two recent cases. We also summarise recent and forthcoming changes in employment legislation...